As a DM, what aspects of the game do you feel weakest in?

[BluWolf]

All DMs are different and we all bring varying strengths and weaknesses to the table.

Regardless of experience (or lack there of) we all probably have areas of the screen monkey's responsibilites we feel we could be better at.

Me? I feel I have slipped in my abilities as a DM that facilitates roleplaying (interesting interactive NPCs). I used to be very good at it but I think I have been really concentrating on mechanics and world development for the past two years and my table chops have suffered a little.

How about you all??

 

[Bragg Battleaxe]

I voted for Dungeon Crawls. For some reason, I feel like I am just hurrying PCs through and not taking the time to make it memorable.

 

[Crothian]

I seem to be bad at pacing. I railroad a little too much and then I give too much freedom of character choice. It's hard to balance that out I find.

 

[Nightfall]

I couldn't write an adventure model to save my life. But I can at least keep it free form enough...some times maybe too much!

 

[Xarlen]

I suck at keeping 'Game Balance'. My PCs blow through Combat like they were some Epic Characters going on a hobbit hunt in the shire.

 

[BluWolf]

Damn!!!

I forgot the biggest one most novice DMs fear the most.

Improvising.

 

[DM with a vengence]

I have trouble keeping everybody on track. They're always wandering off, fighting each other, commiting suicide, or setting the town on fire.

I think once we get past that we can enjoy the game.

(And my NPC names suck)

 

[Xarlen]

Hey, DM With a Vengence. I could send you a good site with lots of cool names. Baby names of almost every country! Not to mention Indian tribes, and stuff like Aztecs, Incas, and so on.

 

[DM with a vengence]

Yeah I actually have some stuff like Ebon, but I find that most names are either highly derivative (Gimly, Legolan, Tirion etc.), or total randomness (Grufinkle, Lampsahde).

This ties in with my theory that 90% percent of quality is based on reputation. After all, if Tolkien or George RR Martin were to use a name, then it must be good because they are good writers, and ergo, could have a stupid sounding character because then they wouldn't be so good.

I tend just to pick names out of the phone book, or the contributers to a magizine.

 

[Rune]

After all, if Tolkien or George RR Martin were to use a name, then it must be good because they are good writers, and ergo, could have a stupid sounding character because then they wouldn't be so good.

Actually, I tend to think that if Tolkien used a name it must be good because he was the head linguist at Oxford. Language is what he did for a living.